Improved iron window-shutter



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BENJAMIN A. JENKINS, OF LA GROSSE, WISCONSIN.

Letters Patent No. 84,124, dated November 17, 1868. I

IMIPROVED IRON WINDOW-SHUTTER.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN A. JENKINS, of La Grosse, in the county ofLa Grosse, and State of Viscousin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in the Construction of Shutters; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in whichc Figure l is an outside view of a window-frame,showing two of the improved shutters hinged to it, one of which is shut,and the other open.

Figure 2 is a view of the outside of a shutter, showing the movableslats thereof, partly open.

Figures 3, 4, and 5 are sectionalviews, in detail, showing theconstruction of the several parts constituting a shutter.

Similar yletters of reference parts in the several figures.y

The object of this invention is to so construct outside shutters orblinds for windows and doors that they will afford protection to thewindow-sash and frames in case indicate corresponding 'of a fire in anopposite or adjacent building, and so that they will be tire-proofthemselves, and also much stronger and more durable than woodenshutters.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing the frames ofshutters, the slats, and the outside facings of the window-frames, ofmetal plates, bent in such manner as to leave air-spaces for the freecirculation of air, and also to afford great strength and stiffness,and, at the same time, lightness, as will be hereinafter explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I willdescribe its construction and operation.

The drawings represent shutters for windows, which are constructed withpivoted or movable slats; but, under my invention, shutters may beconstructed either for windows or doors, andwith movable or fixed slats,as'may be required.

Each shutter-frame consists of two upright parallel strips B B, unitedat their ends, by riveting or other- Wise, to the ends of cross-pieces BB,and eachne of said stripsis composed of a thick sheet-metal strip,which is bent so that in cross-section it presents the form of theletter U. By thus bending the plates or strips of metal, they arerendered very stiffand strong, and spaces are left for a freecirculation of air. In this way, a double-wall tire-proof frame isproduced, which will retain very little heat when exposed to a fire, andthrough which heat will not be readily conducted, on account of thecirculation of air between its walls.

In the construction of the frame, I have the disconnected edges of thetwo walls of each upright strip B outside, and perforate the connectededges thereof, for the reception of rods c c, that serve as"pivotedconnections for the slats a, as shownin ligs. 4 and 5.

, Each one of these rods is hooked on one end, which hook serves, inconnection with a strip, b, to keep the rod in place. The strip b isfitted between the walls of one of theuprights B of the window-frame,and held in place by rivets passed through this upright.

The slats a, like the strips composing their windowframe, are made ofsheet-metal, bent double. so as to form an eye along the edge of eachslat for receiving one of the pivot-rods c through it, when adjusted inplace in its frame, as shown in the-drawings.

rIhe -slats a are made of somewhat thinner metal than that of which theframe-pieces are made, andA these slats, like the frame-pieces, may bereadily formed by machinery suitably adapted to the purpose.

',Io'the inner side, and at the middle of the length of each slat a., ashort arm, d, iis riveted or otherwise secured to it, which arm has aneye through one end, for receiving a pivot-pin, that attaches it to theupright rod G, by which all the slats are moved about their respectivepivots c, This rod Gis made of sheet-metal,

`bent precisely like the frame-strips B, as shown in iigs.

3 and 5.

It will be seen, from the above description, that each one of the slatsis double, and has a narrow air-circulating space between its walls orplates, which will prevent such a degree of heat being conducted throughsuch slats as would be liable to set tire to the woodwork of windows.

By reference to iig. 1, it will be seen that the shutters are hinged tofacing-strips G, that may be secured in any suitable manner to thewindow-frame A. These strips are made of thick sheet-metal, doubled, soas to leave an air-space between each, and are designed to affordprotection to the window-frame against fire.

I do not conline my invention to window or doorshutters having movableslats, as the slats may be secured rigidly to the edges of the uprightsof the shutter or door-frame, so as not to move; nor do I desire toclaim broadly a metallic shutter, as shutters. for doors and windowshave been made of metal before my invention, but not, as I believe, inthe manner hereinabove described.

Having described my invention,

l/Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Metal slats a, which, in transverse section, are of a form verysimilar to the letter U inverted, the leaves of each slat being pressedtogether, so as to leave an air-space between them, and form an eyejustbelow the arch -of the U, to receive and conline the pivot on whichthe slat is hung, all as herein described and shown.

2. As a new article of manufacture, the metal window-shutter, with itshinging sides, made vof U-iron, and its closing sides, of asimilar-shaped iron, lapping at the closing edges, said shutter havingits slats double,

and pivoted to the arch of the U-iron, and also having its bar, whichadjusts thc slats, made of U-iron, and connected to the slats by ironbrackets, all as described. 3. The arrangement of the U-sheet-metalhingingfacing strips G G, in combination with the double slats andU-metal fram', all in the manner described and shown.

et. The pins c, carrying slats a, with bent ends, in combination withthe' retaining-strip b, as herein described.

BENJN. A. JENKINS. Witnesses:

W.'W. DUDLEY, M. P. WING.

